Advance Care Planning

ACP is the process of coming to understand, reflect on, discuss and plan for a time when you cannot make your own medical decisions. Through this process, you can create a plan called an advance directive. ACP will help you:

• Choose one or more healthcare agent(s) to make medical decisions for you if you can’t make them for yourself.
• Prepare for and prioritize important talks with your care team, healthcare agent(s) and others.
• Document what matters most to you and how that may affect the type of care you choose.
• Share your goals, values and wishes for care with others and plan for possible future healthcare decisions.
• Review and update your advance care plan and advance directive periodically and as needed.

An advance directive (AD) is a legal document you can use to:

• Appoint one or more healthcare representative(s) (HCR(s) to speak on your behalf if you can’t make your own medical decisions.
• Express healthcare decisions and/or treatment preferences for future care.

• Advance care planning is the process of planning for future medical care and communicating your plan with those who will be responsible for following your decisions.
• Advance directives are legal documents that outline your plans.

You can still meet with our team even if you already have an AD. We consider ACP to be the gold standard in making sure your healthcare choices can be honored. Completing an AD is part of ACP, but the conversation is so much more.

If you already have an AD:

• An ACP facilitator can review your current plan with you, making sure it represents your current choices and helping clarify anything that might be vague.
• Your documents and the conversation should be revisited frequently.We remember to review them using the five Ds – Decade, Decline, Diagnosis, Divorce, Death (of a loved one).
• Our facilitators can be there for you when you discuss your wishes and preferences for future healthcare needs with loved ones to help ensure they fully understand your choices.

Research shows that ACP reduces stress, anxiety, depression and anger among the bereaved because they know what kind of care you want when you are unable to speak for yourself.

Advance care planning is not a “one and done” process. Throughout our lives, our ever-shifting values and beliefs, as well as our experiences, impact our preferences and wishes You should talk early and often about your wishes.

Everyone over the age of 18 who is currently capable of making their own medical decisions should participate in ACP. Advance care planning and advance directives are always optional.

You may change or revoke your advance directive at any time.